California Business Minute™

Hi, I am Tim Johnson and welcome to the California Business Minute.

The state Employment Development Department released employment figures for October. 
Unemployment remains unchanged from 5.6 percent. A year ago, in October 2006, California’s
estimated unemployment rate was 4.8 percent.

Two sectors: professional and business services and educational and health services added
a combined 3,400 jobs for the month. Professional and business services showed the largest
gain, up by 2,700 jobs. Nine sectors; natural resources and mining; construction; manufacturing;
trade, transportation and utilities; information; financial activities; leisure and hospitality;
other services; and government reported job declines this month, down 19,200 jobs. Information
posted the largest decline over the month, down by 6,300 jobs.

Marin County had the lowest unemployment rate at 3.8 followed closely by San Mateo County
at 3.9 percent.  Imperial County had the highest at 20 percent followed by Alpine at 9.7 and
Colusa at 9.2 percent.

Of interest, no change in unemployment was seen in either San Diego County at 4.8 percent due to
the wildfires nor in Los Angeles at 5.0 percent due to the Writers Strike.

I am Tim Johnson and this has been the California Business Minute.